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Snape's Biggest Regret, What Was Truly His Worst Memory?
What was Snapes Biggest Regret?
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Total Votes: 186
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lirene
post Nov 20 2008, 04:42 PM
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There have been some really great discussions going on in the Snape's Worst Memory thread. Several of the posts there have given rise to the ideas brought forth in this poll. What indeed was Snape's worst memory overall before book 1? Was Snape's worst memory truly found in the pensieve in the Snape's Worst Memory chapter, or were there other more significant events before book 1 that would qualify as Snape's worst memory overall?

You may choose from more than one of the options given above in the poll, and you may choose other if there is something that has been inadvertently omitted from the poll.

Many thanks to Hannibal Granger, and Mrs_Linnea_Snape, whose discussions have inspired this poll, and who helped provide the poll options. thumbup.gif Relevant discussions from the Snape's Worst Memory thread, can be found here, and here. Also, thanks to Moose_Starr and innkeeper_tom for all of their help as well hug.gif

Happy posting and most of all, have fun wizard.gif


This post has been edited by lirene: Nov 22 2008, 11:50 AM


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harrypottergeek2
post Nov 22 2008, 12:08 PM
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Although the SWM scene from OotP definitely bothered him, I think it was more of the aftermath of the incident that truly haunted him. Yes, the bullying scene was the cause of it, and he was kicking himself for doing it, but I don't think he fully realized the impact of his actions until his conversation with Lily later on.

My other vote went to relaying the prophecy; there are many things that just turn your insides cold, and the realization that you just put someone you love in mortal danger is one of them. Knowing that his actions caused a chain reaction leading to the Potters' deaths had to have been a secret that absolutely destroyed him on the inside.


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Wendall
post Nov 22 2008, 04:14 PM
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I think the consequences of the SWM incident, rather than anything that actually happened in it are Snape's biggest regret, along with Lily's death and his role in it.

I dont think the James and Sirius attacking and embarassing him bothered him at all later on. Just the fact that it led to him calling Lily a mudblood and this was what finally ended their friendship. I reckon later on he'd look back on this as the beginning of the end. He'd probably think that if he hadn't called Lily a mudblood then their friendship wouldn't have ended, she wouldn't have married James, she wouldn't have had the child that was the subject of the prophecy, she wouldn't have been hunted down by Voldemort, she wouldn't have died. In Snape's head it all started with that memory, and that's why it's his worst. IMO.


This post has been edited by Wendall: Nov 22 2008, 04:15 PM
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Teal'c
post Nov 22 2008, 04:37 PM
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I think Snape's biggest regret is calling Lily a mud blood, because it started a series of events.
He loved Lily and she made him feel bad in front of everyone, so he just blurted out the first words that came into his head. As soon as they were out of his mouth, it was too late. He grew up hearing these insults all the time. It's like Ralphie in A Christmas Story whose dad swears all day long. When Ralphie finally gets the chance to impress his dad he screws up and blurts out an expletive because he hears it a hundred times a day from his dad. Regardless, Ralphie is punished. If you hear something enough times it becomes just another word.
As well as that when someone you like does something to make you look bad in front of everyone you say stupid things without thinking about it, like saying to someone "shut up you bloody fat idiot" when the person isn't an idiot, and calling him fat is hurtful. But you don't say it with the intention of knowing the words are spiteful, it just comes out. Mud blood is a racial slur but calling someone fat is just as offensive if it hurts the person as much. The words were out of Snape's mouth before he had a chance to realise what he'd said but by then it was too late.
I think it's his biggest regret because of the affect it had and the events it set in motion, but also because it was just something he blurted out. If he'd done something major like hexed Lily I don't think it would be his worst memory, although he'd regret it. It's his worst memory because it's just something he blurted out, he probably kicked himself as soon as he said it but the damage was done.


This post has been edited by lirene: Nov 23 2008, 01:24 PM


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SeVeRuS<3
post Nov 22 2008, 10:20 PM
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i voted for snape relaying the prophecy and lily dying at LVs hands because obv he didnt want LV to kill lily and when it happen he experience a great amount of remorse to the piont that he went against LV


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Moose_Starr
post Nov 23 2008, 05:48 PM
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It's very difficult to say which single memory or regret is Snape's worst or greatest. It's clear that he loved Lily since before they went to Hogwarts, he loved her at school and he still loves her after all this time ... always. So, his worst memory must be of the mudblood incident which was the beginning of the end of their friendship. Everything else that happened after that was as a result of the rift between him and Lily, events spiraled from that point on, but Snape's life spiraled in one direction while Lily's went another, until her death, when Snape did everything to fight back with DD against LV.
Life is full of regrets and bad memories but I would guess the absolute worst is the moment he lost Lily.


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vicky granger
post Dec 1 2008, 10:06 AM
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I think Snape's worst memories were the end of his friendship with Lily, relaying the prophecy to Lord Voldemort and Lily's death. SWM is the event that brought about the end of his friendship with Lily. I think that had to be one of the worst moments in his life. The other two are related, obviously. Lily's death happened because he told Voldemort about the prophecy. Snape wasn't an if-I-can't-have-her-no-one-can guy. He accepted the fact that Lily was with someone else, although he greatly resented it. However, the idea that Lily was dead, that she was no longer existing somewhere in the world, and that it was all his fault, must have destroyed Snape. I think, for this reason, that this is his worst memory.


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missing-sirius
post Dec 15 2008, 03:53 PM
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I would have to agree that the min. that Snape called Lily a mudblood that it was over. I can just imagine Snape counting the years, and then days, until he knew Harry was going to be coming to Hogwarts and knowing that he would have to see him. And not only see him, but have him as reminder for all the things that Snape could never have.
I don't think that Snape ever truley was a bad man, I think between the bullying from James and his firends that Snape had to find a safe haven in the arms of other bullies. It could even be possible that he hated himself for being so weak that he needed the death eaters just to survive. Maybe it wasn't an event that made Snape lay awake at night, maybe he was angry with his own character flaws?
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wickedboy
post Dec 15 2008, 07:58 PM
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QUOTE(missing-sirius @ Dec 15 2008, 03:53 PM) *
I would have to agree that the min. that Snape called Lily a mudblood that it was over. I can just imagine Snape counting the years, and then days, until he knew Harry was going to be coming to Hogwarts and knowing that he would have to see him. And not only see him, but have him as reminder for all the things that Snape could never have.
I don't think that Snape ever truley was a bad man, I think between the bullying from James and his firends that Snape had to find a safe haven in the arms of other bullies. It could even be possible that he hated himself for being so weak that he needed the death eaters just to survive. Maybe it wasn't an event that made Snape lay awake at night, maybe he was angry with his own character flaws?


Yeah that would be belivable if he hadn't gone on to leave the Death Eaters, change to the good side and STILL bully children like there was no tomorrow. He bullied his peers too, like poor Tonks who ran away from him crying in HBP. So I feel the opposite is more likely correct. I think Snape bullied the Marauders because he didn't like them - that was what Snape did he was the same way with Pentuna, dropping tree branches on her and trying to hurt her, and he was calling other kids Mudbloods and being hateful toward Muggles in general. Plus creating spells "for enemies" that were dark and deadly. The Marauders simply did not stand for his bullying and bullied him back, giving him a taste of his own medicine and that included starting things at times because if you are always on the defense, the bullies like Snape never stop.

Snape's worst memory by the end of his life - his greatest regret - should have been his bullying and humiliating abuse of the children. JKR redeemed him from evil to good for some people, but I never thought he was evil. But she didn't address his real problem; that of bullying children, because that is the singly worst thing that any individual can do. Children are a precious gift, not minions to be tormented by the likes of arrogant and vindictive professors who get a joy out of torturing them.

But sadly, Snape's worst memory was likely when Lily ended her friendship with him - because Snape as a character was self centered and selfish in that way and he would likely consider his worst memory something to do with himself coming out on the bad end of a deal instead of all of those he caused to end up the same way. He helped or aided kill many as a Death Eater and he was directly responsible for helping to kill Lily and James by delivering the prophecy, then he went on to bully the kids and his peers. I opine that he could have had numerous worst memories in that subset of categories and to me, a righteous person would. But his character wasn't drawn as righteous.


This post has been edited by wickedboy: Dec 15 2008, 08:04 PM


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missing-sirius
post Dec 15 2008, 10:30 PM
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I would have to disagree with you completely! I think that the reason Snape was so mean to all the children was because of self loathing. He hated himself so much for being weak that instead of using booze or something else he took it out on the people most impressionable around him. It maight have been easier fo rhim to take it out on children becasue he knew that he had power over them, as opposed to adults that might have agrued back with him.
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